News in Salem

Police Make Arrest in Baymont Inn Incident

On Sunday, February 16, at approximately 11:50 a.m., Salem Police officers responded to 100 block of Sheraton Drive, the Baymont Inn, in reference to a domestic dispute between a mother and her son.

Upon arrival, a female advised the officers that her son had locked himself in a hotel room and was destroying property. Police contacted the male subject, but he refused to open the door. At that time, the subject, Matthew A. Welch, 30, of Troutville began to set fire to items inside of the room.

Officers were able to make entry into the room and take the subject into custody on the hotel property. Welch was transported to LewisGale Medical Center where he was treated for minor injuries. No one else was injured during the incident and members of the Salem Fire and EMS Department responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. The Fire Marshal has estimated damage to the room at $2,000.

After further investigation, Welch was taken into custody for a mental health evaluation and charged with Arson, Damaged Property, Grand Larceny, Assault on Law Enforcement Officer and providing False Information to Police. Welch was released to the custody of the Roanoke County-Salem jail.